Tea tree oil is an essential oil from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, a plant native to Australia.
Historically, the leaves were used as a substitute for tea, which is how tea tree oil got its name. The part used medicinally is the oil from the leaves.

Australian aboriginals used tea tree leaves for healing skin cuts, burns, and infections by crushing the leaves and applying them to the affected area. Tea tree oil contains consituents called terpenoids, which have been found to have antiseptic and anti fungal activity. The compound terpinen-4-ol is the most abundant and is thought to be responsible for most of tea tree oil's antimicrobial properties.

Today tea tree oil is used for many ailments from acne to athletes foot. Personally and for my family I have used tea tree oil {and it worked} for the following conditions:

Relief of itching and inflammation from bug bites (2-3 drops in a basin of water, soak 10-15 minutes. 5-8 drops in a tub full of water.)

Infections (from skin and ear infections to pneumonia. I pour a few drops of Vitamin E oil and 1-2 drops tea tree oil in the palm of my hand and simply rub onto skin. It will soak into your body and amazingly enough has worked wonders for treating almost all infections my kids have had. We've only had to get antibiotics 1 in the last 2-3 years for a stubborn ear infection.)

Toe nail fungus (from getting pedicures) Mix 3-6 drops of tea tree oil in a basin of water and soak feet for at least 10 minutes, 1-2 times a day. This worked much, much faster than any OTC or prescription medicine used to treat nail fungus which is notoriously hard to cure.

Kefir is a fermented milk drink. The word kefir is said to have originated from the Turkish word "Keif" which means "good feeling". Kefir dates back many centuries to the shepherds of the Caucasus Mountains who carried kefir grains in milk stored in leather pouches where it would ferment into fizzy sour yogurt. Doesn't sound appetizing? Well actually it is! A diet of kefir grains is what's been attributed the long and healthy life of the people of the Caucasus Mountains.

What makes kefir so good for you? Inside the kefir grains are billions and billions of live beneficial bacteria.
When ingested, these bacteria literally cleans your body of bad bacteria and other harmful things that shouldn't be there. Immediately after drinking kefir you feel fresh and relaxed.

Epsom salts are one of my absolute favorite naturalhealth and beauty products. I just had to share it with whoever is listening. Your going to love me for this!

In case you didn't know, I am in the health care profession, more specifically in surgery. I love what I do because I feel like I've helped people at the end of my day. Ironically, I also very passionately believe in holistic/natural medicine.
While I believe that there are many things that require surgical intervention and sometimes drugs, I hold strongly to the benefits of natural cures.

Today at work I had a "debate" over the health benefits of Epsom salts with an Orthopedic surgeon that I work with. Lets just say that while I believe there are options other than man made drugs to ease sore muscles (lactic acid) inflammation, pain, headaches etc. etc. Most doctors that I've worked with over the last 13 years do not. We'll leave it at that for now.

Sizing up 25 studies on over-the-counter cough medicine, a recent research review published in "The Cochrane Library" determined that there's no good evidence for or against the effectiveness of cough formulas such as Robitussin and Mucinex.
For natural, reliable cough relief, try a tea recipe recommended by Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., director of education at the University of Arizona's Program in Integrative Medicine.

It features thyme, which alleviates chest congestion and supports respiratory function, along with
throat-soothing honey, sage, and vitamin-C-rich lemon.

I've made this several times now for myself and my children and it is a God send! Which should come as no surprise since Nature usually knows best. It works. It's good. It's soothing.

When we moved into our house a few years ago, I didn't realize how toxic the combination of new materials would be to my family's health. My allergies went crazy and I started suffering from chronic migraines and fatigue. Our baby, Jack, then 8 months old suffered from chronic allergies and bronchial infections. I didn't realize it was from the new carpet and glue in the recently installed cabinets until a pediatrician asked if we'd moved into a new home recently and informed me of the toxins.

Some people say that the beginning of cold and flu season starts at the beginning of Winter. Health professionals will tell you that March is is the real flu season. I say it starts the first week of school and lasts until school lets out for the summer break!

With four kids in our home, someone always the sniffles or a cough. I'm here to save you a ton of grief not to mention Kleenex!

Colds and the flu are caused by a virus. There are many different strains of the influenza virus' making it difficult to prevent by getting a flu shot IMO. New strains of influenza viruses appear and replace older strains. This process occurs through antigenic drift. When a new strain of human influenza virus emerges, antibody protection that may have developed after infection or vaccination with an older strain may not provide protection against the new strain. I can obviously not tell you whether or not you should get a flu shot, that's a personal choice based on several factors. I personally don't get one and neither do my children. I prefer first and foremost to use prophylactic (preventative) measures such as healthy eating ( lots and lots of fresh, raw veggies, fruits and plenty of water) and being very active.

When one of us does get sick it is almost always very mild and very short-lived. I use these wonderfulALLNATURAL products which have more than proven themselves to me over the years and honestly, I don't know how I ever lived without them! They are easy to find at grocers such as Sprouts and Whole Foods etc. and there are health and naturopathic stores popping up everywhere these days with friendly knowledgeable staff there to help you.

1. Wellness Herbal Resistance Liquid: with Echinacea, Goldenseal & Yin Chiao complex for a super dose of Immune system support. Put a small droper full directly under tongue or mix in a small amount of water or juice.

2. Elderberry: I LOVE this stuff! It is amazing how quickly this makes us feel better when we have a bad cold! I can't say enough about this wonderful herb, just make sure you click on the link for more info! and then run out and buy some before your next cold!

3. Tei-Fu Essential Oil: This little bottle is gonna be your best friend the next time you have a stuffy nose or sinus problems. It contains pure essential oils from wintergreen, camphor, menthol and has safflower oil for skin conditioning. It smells a little like 'Vapor Rub' but much much better. Put a few drops behind your ear for immediate relief of congestion!

4. Tea Tree Oil: I use this stuff ALL the time for so many things. It is readily available at Walgreen's, Walmart and many other places.Tea Tree Oil is a natural antiseptic, antibacterial, fungicide and germicide. Many people use tea tree oil for: athletes foot, cold and flu relief, oral thrush, cancar sores, cold sores,ringworm, candida, head lice, gum problems, mosquito bites, bug repellent,cockroaches, deter flees, mouth ulcers, herpes, cuts, abrasions, after shave, sunburn,anorectal or vaginal yeast infections, unwanted body odors, acne, toe nail infections, and many other uses.

5. Last but not least, lets not forget about the Neti Pot!: You can find these at Walgreen's!
Many people myself included, with sinus symptoms from bacterial infections, allergies, and environmental irritants have turned to the Neti pot or other nasal irrigation devices, claiming that these devices alleviatecongestion, facial pain and pressure, and reduce the need for antibiotics and nasal sprays. Research backs up these claims, finding that nasal irrigation can be an effective way to relieve sinus symptoms when used along with standard sinus treatments.

I have suffered from allergies my entire life and also sinus infections. They are horrible and I can tell you, drugs not only don't work but cause so many other harmful problems in your body! Did you know that when you have a " stuffed up" nose and can't get anything out from blowing, it is from irritation and inflammation of the delicate mucous membrane lining of the interior of your nose? Usually, decongestants won't solve this, In comes the neti pot! It washes out and soothes your nasal passage w a gentle saline solution.